Metropolitan Campus
Business & Technology Unit
Autumn/2007
MATH-1410
ELEMENTARY PROBABILITY & STATISTICS I
Credits: 03
Section(s) Day(s) Time Rm
82352 Saturday 1:00 pm-3:50 pm HUM-318
Instructor: Dr. Joseph Arendt
Office: Mailboxes in Part-Time Faculty Office
Metro Health Sciences Building, Room 118
(Usually somebody is there who can put something in my mailbox)
Phone: (216) 987-4123
E-mail Address: Joseph.Arendt@tri-c.edu
Web Site: http://home.att.net/~arendtj
Office Hours: Before and after class, or by appointment.
COURSE DESCRIPTION
First of two semester introductory sequence in probability and statistics. Sequence is intended for students majoring in liberal arts, business, sciences, engineering, and education. Includes study of descriptive statistics, elementary probability, probability distributions, normal distribution, binomial distribution, sampling concepts, sampling distribution of sample mean, estimation, and hypothesis testing.
Lecture Hours: 03 Laboratory Hours: 00
COURSE PREREQUISITE(S)
MATH-1180 Intermediate Algebra for Technologies; or MATH-1200 Intermediate Algebra; or sufficient score on assessment test; or departmental approval: equivalent coursework.
PERFORMANCE OBJECTIVES
Upon successful completion of MATH-1410 Elementary Probability and Statistics I, the student should be able to:
A. Read and construct frequency distributions and their graphical representations.
B. Find the measures of central tendency and dispersion of a set of observations and frequency distribution.
C. Demonstrate and understanding of and apply elementary concepts of probability
D. Demonstrate an understanding of the concepts of a random variable and its probability distribution.
E. Find the expected value of a random variable and understand its applications.
F. Recognize the binomial distribution and compute binomial probabilities.
G. Demonstrate an understanding of the normal distribution and use the standard normal table.
H. Solve applied problems using the normal table.
I. Use appropriate sampling techniques.
J. Know the distribution of sample means, Central Limit theorem and their applications to inferential statistics.
K. Use point and interval estimations.
L. Solve decision-making problems by using hypothesis testing.
INSTRUCTOR'S EXPECTATIONS
I expect regular attendance, selected homework problems announced weekly in class to be turned in on time, and ability to explain and use main concepts from this course. Careful reading of my Grading Policy will show that attendance by itself is not part of the grade. Only test scores and homework grades are used. Nevertheless, material from all lectures will appear in the homework and tests, so excellent attendance is highly recommended, and regular attendance fit well with success of students in the previous semester.
I expect homework to be honestly done. The appendix of the textbook and/or the Student’s Solutions Manual supplies answers to most of the problems asked for. Solving the problems oneself first, only after this comparing to these supplied answers to find and correct errors is an excellent studying technique. By all means, this kind of checking with the supplied answers and a search for corrections to get that answer should be done.
TEXTBOOK/INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS
Elementary Statistics, Picturing the World, 3rd edition, By Larson and Farber, Publisher: Pearson; Prentice Hall; Year; 2005. Included in the envelop at the front of the textbook is a CD-ROM in with data files so those can be read off this disk rather than typed in oneself.
Entirely optional…and costing extra…Your Student Study Pack. This includes Student’s Solution Manual For Elementary Statistics, Picturing the World, 3rd edition, By Shahaffer. It also contains video lectures on CD. I have not yet gone through these video lectures. As for the Student’s Solution Manual, many student claim it is of benefit, although sometimes I think if referred to too quickly without trying the problem long enough oneself, it can be a detriment. In short, getting this is optional. This study pack also includes Technology Manual for Elementary Statistics, Picturing the World, By Dretake, McLaughlin, and Wakefield, which has specific instructions for using Microsoft Excel, Minitab, and a TI-83 calculator.
A statistical calculator is not optional, but required in this course. The recommended calculator is the TI-83, which also means TI-83 Plus and TI-83 Silver, and according to a form at OfficeMax the TI-84 Plus and TI-84 Plus Silver are 100% compatible with the TI-83. TI stands for Texas Instruments. When I checked, all these calculators cost in the neighborhood of a hundred dollars. There are higher numbered models in the TI line that cost even more that also should work, but even though the higher priced models are often more powerful, the keys and menus may differ from the TI-83 even though also TI products. The textbook gives instructions for a TI-83 calculator (also works identically for TI-83 Plus, TI-83 Silver, TI-84 Plus, and TI-84 Silver, but what needs to be pushed and selected in menus may differ slightly for higher-priced TI models).
Students choosing an entirely different calculator brand such as a HP or Casio even if it has equivalent statistical functions and power are responsible for reading their own calculator manual, and the supplementary text Technology Manual will not give instructions for their calculator! Due to the wide variety of calculators existing, the instructor does not and cannot realistically be expected to know how to use the features in all of them.
The back of the textbook has various tables like normal distribution, t-values, and chi-squared values. Most advanced statistical calculators can nearly instantly compute any value like those making the table itself unnecessary, which can save significant time. Nevertheless, the tables will be provided or be made available if necessary for the tests for those not using this advanced calculator feature.
The textbook includes a CD-ROM that has data files on it. Flipping through the textbook itself, problem 22 on page 101 has three rows of decimal numbers with eight columns. This is a fair amount to type in without making an error. There is a symbol of a CD-ROM on that problem to show that data set is already included on the CD-ROM, so one can avoid typing the data set by reading it off that.
Besides advanced statistical functions, an advantage of the TI-83 Plus is it has a multiple line display with different columns. One can use cursor keys to move around to insert and edit data until it is all correct. This is similar to using a spreadsheet on a computer for entering data. It is a huge advantage over a calculator with just a one line or two line display when entering large data sets.
However, if one has a personal computer and a special cable that goes between the calculator and computer (sometimes an extra charge item and sometimes not, depending on how TI bundles their calculator), one can get the file off the CD-ROM on a personal computer, then upload it to the calculator. That solves typing in the larger data sets, so this is why the CD-ROM symbol on a homework exercise is important.
Yet another method to work with the data set on the CD-ROM is to use it on the personal computer directly. The textbooks refers to two different programs for doing this (an example of this is on page 30 of the textbook). The first is the spreadsheet program Microsoft Excel, which is included in Microsoft Office. The second is the statistical program Minitab. The supplementary text Technology Manual provides detailed instructions for Excel and Minitab.
I like both Excel and Minitab, and have my own copies at home. However, I do not expect students in this class to have access to them. Neither is cheap if purchased, even with academic discounts.
Therefore, while students are welcome to use a personal computer with Minitab or Excel for their homework, it is not required or even expected. Not even expected is using a personal computer to upload the data files to the calculator, although this is a nice time-saving thing to do.
Personal computers may not be used for the exams. Also, data on the tests must be manually typed into a calculator, since computers are not allowed on exams.
The instructor will not provide calculators to students on the exam.
ATTENDANCE
Regular class attendance is expected, although I will not use attendance in computing the grade for this course.
Regular class attendance is required. An instructor may withdraw a student for excessive absence if the student has missed the equivalent of one week of instruction unless arrangements satisfactory to the instructor can be made by the student to demonstrate that he/she can make acceptable academic progress (College Policy).
WITHDRAWAL
Students may withdraw from any semester course prior to the end of the twelfth week of the full term, or 80 percent of any instructional part of term. Specific withdrawal dates are available by term in the Campus Admissions and Records Offices or published in the schedule of courses.
Up to the last day of the twelfth week of the semester, a student may withdraw from a course(s) for any reason. Withdrawal from a course prior to the last day of the second week of the semester will have no notation made in permanent records--withdrawal thereafter will be noted with a "W."
If a student misses class time for the equivalent of one week of instruction, an instructor has the option to withdraw the student for excessive absence. The instructor may elect not to exercise this option, however, and it is the student's responsibility to make sure that an official withdrawal takes place.
All transactions involving withdrawal from courses shall be done in writing and on forms provided by the college. A student's failure to attend classes shall not constitute an official withdrawal. The withdrawal date for this course is November 16, 2007.
TESTS, QUIZZES & HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENTS
There will be four regular tests, plus a cumulative final exam. Homework to be collected and graded will be a selection taken from what is listed for homework on the syllabus, and the selection will be announced in class one week before due date.
The instructor will not provide calculators to students on exams. Personal computers may not be used for exams.
FINAL EXAM
Saturday, December 15, 2007, 1:00 pm–3:00 pm, regular classroom.
The final exam is required. It is comprehensive, which means covers everything from the beginning through the end of the course. It makes up 35% of the grade, so is worth almost twice a regular test. No other test will be substituted for the score of the final exam.
MAKE-UP POLICY
Only for a verifiable doctor’s excuse will a make-up test be scheduled. This is a strict requirement, but keep in mind that one of the four regular tests will be dropped as explained in the Grading Policy/Scale. The final exam will not be dropped. For assigned homework, it will be accepted late with a penalty of the instructor’s discretion until that material is covered on an exam, after which that late homework will not be accepted.
GRADING POLICY/SCALE
A grade of A for 90%-100%; B for 80%-89%; C for 70%-79%; D for 60%-69%; F for 0-59%.
Lowest score of four regular tests (not including the final) will be dropped.
20% each (for 60% total) Three regular tests (after lowest dropped)
35% Final exam
5% Homework
Consider if one had 90% on each of the four tests and 90% on the homework, but missed the final exam. One of the four regular tests automatically goes away. This then works out to
(90%)(0.2) + (90%)(0.2) + (90%)(0.2) + (90%)(0.05) = 58.5%. That is under 60%, so it is an overall grade of F! This means one can be going into the final exam with a low grade of A, but merely by missing the final exam get an F in the course! Taking the final exam and doing well on it is vitally important!
INCOMPLETE (I) GRADES
A notation of "I" indicates that a student has not completed all course requirements as a result of circumstances judged by the instructor to be beyond the student's control. A student must complete all course requirements no later than the end of the sixth week of the academic term following the semester in which the "I" was noted. Failure to complete such requirements will result in an "F" (failing) grade.
ACADEMIC CREDIT
In order to award one (1) semester hour of college credit, the Ohio Board of Regents requires two hours of significant student study outside of class for each one hour in class for the equivalent of an academic semester (16 weeks).
DISABILITIES
Students with disabilities at Cuyahoga Community College are expected to take an assertive role in communicating with faculty and staff members about their need for reasonable accommodation.
If you need course adaptations or accommodations because of a disability, if you have emergency medical information to share with me, or if you need special arrangements in case the building must be evacuated, please contact me as soon as possible.
Please communicate to the instructor any disability that might prevent taking the test in the classroom in the same time period as the other students early in the class well before the test itself is taking place. For my courses, under no circumstances will a regular classroom test or the final exam be given as a take-home test to be done without supervision overnight or over several days. Instead, a different location and time will be provided to students with disabilities who require it, with more time allowed or other requirements that they might have.
MATH TUTORING AVAILABLE
The Math Tutoring Lab is available for assistance. Tutoring is free and no appointments are needed. The hours are:
Monday through Thursday 9:00 am - 8:00 pm
Friday 9:00 am – 4:00 pm
Saturday 10:00 am - 2:00 pm
Tutoring begins on September 4, 2007.
The Math Tutoring Lab will be closed whenever the college is closed.
The phone number is 216-987-4647. The Math Tutoring Lab is located on the fourth floor of the Metro library.
Their web site is:
http://instruct.tri-c.edu/metromathtutors
http://instruct.tri-c.edu/metromathtutors
If you want to talk to me, I can be reached at arendtj@att.net
Last modified August 25, 2007